Are there local network ch off air signals in the slabs or quartsite

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cedric

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I like to keep up with a few tv shows. I am planning on heading out to AZ or to the slabs this winter.<br />What should I get to watch / get a signal. does off air work in no-man's land? I was thinking a dish but hate the thought of another monthly bill<br />I absolutely love this forum. thanks Bob - good work<br />thanks everyone<br />cedric
 
thanks for that link to internet tv. I would use that in a pinch but streaming eats up massive amounts of data and I would only have 2-4 GB per month
 
Yes, but I don't think they have many local channels. Quartzsite is an actual town, and Slab City is 1 mile west of Niland, CA.<br /><br />
 
I have never been out to the west. I am trying to find out: If I go visit Bob and his band of friends at RTR would I be able to get any of the network channels? I know it's remote areas and I guess that is my bigger question. On BLM lands when you boondock can you get access to television without streaming it through the internet?<br /><br />thanks
 
That link is NOT internet tv, it is OTA( Over the air) broadcast TV, what you can get for free, with an outdoor Antenna.<br /><br />&nbsp;The map show the relative strengths of the TV stations and the direction they are broadcasting from and where to point the antenna<br /><br />It has been pretty accurate in the locations I have parked.<br /><br />None of the stations listed for that site are particularly strong, so A high gain well aimed antenna will be necessary.
 
sorry, wrcsixeight, I guess I should have spent some time reading the site.<br />It sounds like really useful info and I have bookmarked it in my road trip folder.<br />thanks
 
I can get stations upto -80 DBm with my homemade antenna at my current location<br /><br />NBC and CBS at quartzite are listed at -84 and -87 DBm, so if you could get them in with a good commercial antenna mounted high, they would probably drop out during some conditions.<br /><br />The purple stations are analog, and might be watchable.<br />I found my best TV reception comes in Damp/ foggy weather. &nbsp;When We get super dry weather I lose stations that are usually strong, so perhaps in QZ, none are really viable unless you mount a huge channelmaster up on a huge pole.<br /><br />But only reports by those who have been there are really viable.
 
wrcsixeight, thanks for the info. I'll have to search google a bit harder for off air reception on blm land. I haven't really found too many folks talking about this. It is either a no brainer to get stations or more likely that the people who boondock do not watch much TV.
 
<span id="post_message_1275612101">wrcsixeight, Can you share your homemade antenna plans with us? Are you using your digital TV tuner to receive </span>-84 and -87 DBm? I'm not on BLM land but high in the SW mountains (9,500 ft right now). I installed dish because I could not pickup anything else. I have been told by others in the area that I could pick-up El Paso, Tucson or Phoenix if I have the right antenna.<br /><br />VanGirl<br /><br /><br />
 
I too would like to see your antenna plans. I have a uni-directional radio shack antennai that's supposed to pull in from over a hundred miles away. But no such luck. The only station I get load and clear is CBS and that's because it's 6 miles from my location in NW Florida.

TIA Wade
 
I have had very poor luck getting over the air reception at Quartzsite,<br /> I have the amplified batwing antenna that comes with most RV's.<br /><br /> since I like to watch football, I always end up going into town and watching the playoff games at the bar.<br /><br />&nbsp;I use Direct tv for almost 99% of my viewing.<br /><br />Putz<br /><br />
 
Since the Digital transition, many stations that used to broadcast in the VHF ranges(2 to 13) &nbsp;have switched to the UHF bands (13 to 69)<br /><br />After the Digital transition changeover, few if any stations broadcast on 2-6 or 51 to 69.<br /><br />While a "digital" TV antenna is just marketing mumbo jumbo, an antenna optimized for channels 7 through 51 can( not necessarily will) be better than one designed to pull in the former wider ranges.<br /><br />VHF high(7-13) travels further with less broadcast power. &nbsp;VHF antenna elements are the larger rabbitt ear type of element. &nbsp;UHF elements are the smaller shorter bow tie or ring type element.<br /><br />My antenna is similar to the one in the following video. &nbsp;I used red oak for mine and sealed it for outdoor use. &nbsp;Instead of coat hangers I used 12 awg copper grounding wire, and brass screws.<br /><br />[video]<br /><br />I have the antenna hose clamped to am extendable tarp pole, and clamp that to my spare tire carrier. &nbsp;The bottom of tha antenna sits about 8 feet off the ground when fully extended.<br /><br />I added some rabbitt ears to my antenna because almost every VHF high station in my area is utilized.<br /><br />The Sensar/ Batwing antennas are good at receiving VHF stations. &nbsp;After the Digital switchover they came out with the 'Wingman' &nbsp;which clips onto the sensar and concentrates UHF signals on the elements. &nbsp;It is under 30 dollars.<br /><br />A new TV antenna came out called the Jack antenna that former sensar owners claim works significantly better.<br /><br />Digital TV seems to require much more exacting aiming of the antenna.<br /><br />If you make an antenna like in the video, symmetry is very important. &nbsp;This does not show my antenna in it's most recent form but gives you an idea.<br /><br />
alien_zps17ab189e.jpg
<br /><br />I used to just move the VHF elements to sit flat and strap it flat on my roof for driving, but now I have just been removing it entirely and leaving it at my parking spot when out. &nbsp; So I have no antenna when out and about.
 
I've found TV reception to be strage at times.&nbsp; Hills play a big part.&nbsp; Didn't get any in Quartzsite, got good reception in the south part of Kofa NWR.&nbsp; Only spanish channels in the reservation just over<br />the AZ/CA border from Yuma, ok reception off Ogilby road.&nbsp;
 
There is a hardware/software package for computers called WinTV (or something similar lol). I paid about $70 for it several years ago. Comes with a small collapsible antenna, but can be hooked up via coaxial cable to a large exterior antenna. The prgram scans for broadcast signals, and you can watch them on the computer. https://www.hauppauge.com/index.htm
 
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